ACC picks Durham to host baseball tournament

The ACC Baseball Tournament will set up shop in Durham beginning next year.

The league announced Thursday that the Durham Bulls Athletic Park will house the six-day event for four consecutive years, beginning in May 2015.

“Our membership had a desire for the championship to find a home, and through its bid, Durham displayed its abilities to be that home,” ACC Commissioner John Swofford said in a statement. “They showed a commitment to enhancing the event with their facility upgrades and their extensive promotional campaign with the Triangle Sports Commission and Capitol Broadcasting.”

Durham has been the site of the ACC Tournament eight previous times, including three of the past five years. This year’s tournament starts Tuesday at Greensboro’s NewBridge Bank Park.

In 2013, at the DBAP, the tournament set records for single-game (11,329) and championship game (8,697) attendance.

"This is an incredible opportunity for both the ACC and the Durham community to shine,” Casey Steinbacher, president and CEO of the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce, said. “Baseball has been a key ingredient to the rebirth of Durham, and we believe it is also strategically positioned to be a key ingredient to the future success of Durham. It is a match made in heaven by the baseball Gods, and we are excited to take full advantage of it!”

The city of Durham and the Bulls agreed to a new lease agreement last year that keeps the Class AAA team playing at the DBAP through at least 2034. As part of that agreement, the 19-year-old stadium underwent more than $20 million in renovations.

Durham, Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Tampa-St.Petersburg, Fla., were in the running to host the ACC Tournament. Next year’s tournament will be held from May 19-25, 2015.